Issues
CA 263
In December I was fortunate enough to stand on the Nene riverbank in 1300 BC. Beside me were the stumps of prehistoric willow trees. Beneath me was a channel choked with the detritus of Bronze Age river life. Perfectly preserved eel traps, fish weirs and boats – six of them – still lay where they [...]
CA 262
The most exciting thing about archaeology is the way fresh discoveries can overturn established theories in the blink of an eye. Witnessing how a new consensus emerges from these is also thrilling, and the sight of scholars with opposing views scoring and conceding points is a conference staple. Ultimately this debate forges our perceptions of the past. This issue we [...]
CA 261
Cave archaeology has a long pedigree. Romantic images of our earliest ancestors sheltering in caverns led to many being stripped of their stratigraphy in the 19th century – when recording techniques were still in their infancy. New work has revealed remains that escaped antiquarian attention, shedding light on a once-vibrant world under the uplands. Research in Oakington, Cambridgeshire, is [...]
CA 260
Rome changed Britain. New roads opened up this country as never before, creating a captive market – weary travellers. Settlements seeking to part them from their sestertii sprung up rapidly, but they are rarely excavated. Now work at Syon Park has revealed life in one of Britain’s first service stations. When Conan Doyle loosed his spectral hound on Dartmoor, he [...]
CA259
The Neolithic is being rewritten. New techniques of radiocarbon dating based on Bayesian statistics are allowing a greater precision than ever before and enable Neolithic dates to be tied down to within 50 years or less. This reveals that long Barrows and long cairns, the earliest form of Neolithic monument, were built from around 3800 [...]
CA258
September is Scottish archaeology month. In celebration we open with two projects delivering spectacular results. The largest excavation ever undertaken in Aberdeen has uncovered four churches, and the remains of over 2,000 individuals. These reveal the impact of improved living standards, and a gradual Reformation. A suspected Viking harbour on Skye has been big news. [...]
CA257
Bedlam. It is a word that evokes the casual brutality of early healthcare. It was also a real institution, tending real patients. Now the hospital’s former cemetery is being excavated, and the bodies within have been excitedly labelled as former patients by the press. Yet the truth is far more complex, and reveals a world [...]
CA256
After being a CA reader for many years, it is very exciting to be here, and I hope that you enjoy my first issue. We start with the goods yard that once stood next to St Pancras station. In its heyday, this supplied the capital with Midlands victuals, but unlike St Pancras there was no [...]
CA255
The time has come, dear readers, for me to bid farewell to Current Archaeology. It has been a fantastic few years working on the magazine and getting to know so many of you! I leave CA in the very capable hands of the incoming Editor, Matthew Symonds, who some of you may recognise as the [...]
CA254
Even here at CA, we are not immune to the Royal Wedding fever sweeping the nation. Issue 254 opens with our nod to the most magnificent of royal occasions, covering every angle: the venue! Thefamilies! The dress! And most importantly – the dirt. Joking aside, what can archaeology tell us about royal weddings? We highlight [...]
